Lady in Red
by Paris in October
Summary: Lisbon and Rigsby have to go undercover... as lovers. The situation causes a whole lot of awkwardness at first, but then it's just pure fun!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! It's Paris in October, previously malutka.1000. I know I shouldn't start another story, especially now that I've started my third year of uni, but well... I just couldn't refrain :)**

**Hope you'll like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own "The Mentalist" nor the gorgeous Simon Baker. But hey, it was my birthday last week and I haven't opened all presents yet, so maybe... just maybe...**

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><p>„Please tell me it's a joke." Lisbon looked at Hightower with terror.<p>

Her boss only smiled. "I love your enthusiasm. No, it's not a joke."

"But why me? Why not Van Pelt? Give me just one reason!"

"I told you, I need two experienced agents there. Cho didn't agree to participate-"

"What do you mean, didn't agree? You asked him? And I have no choice?"

"Rigsby can do it as well, while you're the only woman experienced enough to go undercover. It's very important to me. Harrison's team didn't manage to close this case, so you understand that I desperately want to do this. I want you and your team to kick their asses." She smiled. "Plus, it will be fun to watch you two."

Lisbon winced. "Oh yes, that convinced me. Totally. What did Rigsby say about that?" she asked reluctantly.

"Well, I haven't told him yet. I thought it would be better if you talk to him."

"Of course." Lisbon just rolled her eyes. "Can't wait."

Hightower laughed. "I'm sure you'll do great." She stood up. "Oh, one more question – can you play poker?"

"If I say no, will you find someone else for that mission?" Lisbon asked, hope in her voice.

"No way. You're doing it either way, I just want to know how much money we will lose."

"I can, don't worry."

"Great." Hightower smiled. "Good luck, Teresa."

"Thank you." When the door closed behind her boss, Lisbon exhaled deeply and ran her hand through her hair. "I'll need a lot of luck to survive that mess..."

She stood up and walked into the bullpen. It was nearly empty, only Jane was feigning sleep on his couch.

"Where's everybody?" she asked him.

"In the kitchenette, having lunch. Wanna join them?"

"Um, no. I'm not hungry. Just tell Rigsby to come to my office as soon as they're back, okay?"

Jane sent her a curious look. "You know, if you need a strong, handsome man, I'm right here," he said, showing her his biceps.

Lisbon frowned. "Funny. Just tell him, will you?"

"Sure. Won't you tell me what's up?"

"Not yet. Be patient," she said with a small smile and returned to her office. She could imagine how hard Jane would laugh when he heard about their mission. Oh yes, he would definitely have fun. Unlike her.

She sat in her chair and absent-mindedly played with her pen, thinking about the whole situation. It would be awkward, but it was just a job, she decided eventually. They had no choice. And, to be honest, she wanted to kick Harrison's ass too. He was a jerk, and their teams had always competed.

Five minutes later there was a knock on the door and Rigsby went in, cup of coffee in his hand. "You wanted to see me, boss?"

"Well, yes. Please sit down, we need to talk."

He sent her a nervous look. "What happened?"

"Nothing, don't worry." Lisbon forced herself to calm down. She _really_ didn't want to take that case. "Um, I just talked to Hightower and she's assigned us an undercover mission."

"Okay... But why are you telling this to me, and not the whole team?"

"Because it's just the two of us who will go undercover..." Lisbon took a deep breath. "As lovers."

Rigsby choked on his coffee. Coughing hardly, he desperately tried to catch his breath after the shocking news. "Is it a joke?" he managed to say eventually.

Lisbon sighed. "I've already asked Hightower the same question, and I'm afraid it's not. She was very fond of her idea. And I wanted to tell you first so that you could choke on your coffee without Jane's smart comments." She smiled and, for the first time since Hightower's announcement, felt like laughing. "Jesus, this is ridiculous."

"I'd say 'ridiculous' is a _huge_ understatement," Rigsby chuckled. "No offense, of course," he added quickly, glancing at her nervously.

"Of course," she nodded.

She knew that every month male CBI agents made a 'Hottest lady cop' list, and she knew that she usually was on the second or third place, depending on how good Van Pelt was looking that month. Jessica from forensic always won, but hey, she was twenty-two and had worked as a model since she turned sixteen. Being right after Jessica meant she didn't look that bad.

She'd found out about the list by accident, when a rookie agent from Hightower's office sent the link to her instead of agent Thomas Landon. She checked it every month, just out of curiosity. She wasn't _vain_, of course. It was just... nice to see your name there.

Taking that into account, no, she didn't feel offended by Rigsby's words.

"Guess we have no choice," he sighed. "It's an order, isn't it?"

"Yes... Come on, let's tell the rest."

* * *

><p>The team reacted just like she'd expected. Van Pelt was surprised and <em>just a little bit<em> jealous, Cho had a wide, thank-God-it's-not-me smile, and Jane was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.

Lisbon sent the consultant an angry glare. "Please, can we be professional?" she asked.

"Of course. I can't wait to see you professionally kissing Rigsby."

It was Van Pelt's turn to give him a murderous look. "Who said it would be necessary?" she asked childishly.

"Okay, people, stop that." Lisbon sighed and opened the manila folder Hightower had left her. "The victim is Thomas Anderson, forty-two, businessman. Found dead in his office, two shots in the chest." She shown them the first photo. "Married to Leah Anderson, but they're getting divorced. No kids." Lisbon took out the second photo, showing the pretty blonde in her middle thirties, wearing an expensive Gucci dress and Jimmy Choo's stilettos. Although the photo was taken from distance, the labels on her clothes were so big they could easily read the designers' names.

"They're rather rich, aren't they?" Van Pelt frowned, examining the picture.

"Oh, yes. Anderson is- was very successful. But if they divorced, Leah wouldn't get as much money as she wanted. She hired a good lawyer, the best one in this state." Lisbon glanced down at the notes. "Brian Falton. He hasn't lost a case in twenty years. However, this time he had a tough opponent. Anderson wasn't an idiot, and he had his own lawyers. It looked like Falton would lose for the first time in his career. And, just three days before the last divorce hearing, Anderson was killed."

"Looks like that Falton guy was really desperate," remarked Jane.

"Or maybe the wife was."

Lisbon shook her head. "She has a good alibi. She spent the past two weeks in New York General Hospital."

"Why?" Van Pelt raised her eyebrows.

"Plastic surgery. Nose job or something like that."

"Does NY General do such things?"

"Of course they don't. The surgery was performed in a posh private clinic I've never heard about, but apparently something went wrong and she ended up in the ICU. We have her hospital records, so she's out of question."

"The lawyer, then?" asked Jane, in his annoying, stating-the-obvious tone.

"I guess so. But he was too smart for Harrison's team, which is why we have to clean this mess now. He's never done anything that could connect him with Anderson's death. He's too cautious for that."

"But he's only a man, and that's why Hightower is sending a beautiful woman to seduce him," said Jane innocently.

Lisbon's cheeks flushed red, but she managed to keep her voice calm. "Hightower is sending two good agents who Falton has never seen before. He won't suspect anything."

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" asked Rigsby, glancing nervously at Van Pelt.

"Well, it's kind of psychological mission. We have to make Falton admit he killed Anderson."

"How?"

"I told you, my dear Rigsby." Jane grinned. "By seducing him."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "If you want, you can try to seduce him, but – no offense to your skills – I doubt if you succeed." She was losing patience, and she didn't even get to the point! "Falton is a keen gambler, he spends every night in Silver Lotus casino. I'll go there, talk to him, gain his trust..."

"... seduce him..."

"... and do everything I can to make him confess. Honestly? I don't believe it will work, but Hightower wanted to give it a go. She'll do anything to be better than Harrison."

"Especially when 'anything' means sitting at her desk and watching us working." Rigsby was _really_ unhappy with his assignment. "And what is my job?"

"Well, Harrison thinks that Falton can be dangerous and Hightower doesn't want me to be alone there."

"Can't we all just watch you and be ready to react if there's a need?"

"Don't ask me, ask your beloved boss. She thinks it will be more natural. She wants me to play a rich woman, currently getting divorced, and looking for a good lawyer. She says it's obvious I have to have a lover."

"I can't see the point, really."

"Don't worry. For the first few nights I'll go alone, you'll join me later. Maybe there will be no need at all," Lisbon tried to cheer him up.

"You think so?"

"Depends on how much money I will lose on the first night," she laughed. "It's highly probable that Hightower will take that case away before the fun really starts. Bertram is..." she hesitated.

"Mean," suggested Jane cheerfully.

"Careful with money, let's call it that way."

"We get the idea." Rigsby sighed. "Okay, let's do this, close that damn case and forget about it as soon as possible."

"Rigsby, how could you! You're offending Lisbon!" Jane clearly had fun watching their embarrassment. "Don't tell me you don't want to play her lover even for a short while..."

"Jane, enough! Go to your attic, read a book, anything. Just shut up for a while, we have to get ready. We're starting tomorrow night."

Jane grinned. "Can't wait to see it."

Lisbon sighed. Why on Earth had she agreed?

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><p><strong>Honestly, I'm not really sure if it's worth continuing. But the fun will start in the next chapter, I promise :) Let me know what you think. Give me a late B-day present and review, please!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, it took me a lot of time to write the second chapter, but finally, here it is! Thank you for the reviews, alerts and everything. Hope you'll enjoy the next part :)**

**Oh, just for the record - I know nothing about Miss USA contest and I have nothing against the contestants. Everything I wrote about them is just my crazy imagination, I hope no one would get offended :)**

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><p>"I'm glad you agreed to participate in that... project." Madeleine Hightower smiled at Lisbon and Rigsby. "Please sit down."<p>

"Like we had choice..." murmured Rigsby so that only Lisbon could hear him.

"Here's everything that Harrison's team found out about Falton and his work." Their boss opened a manila folder. "Technically he's clean, no records at all. But some of his clients admitted he uses illegal methods to win his cases. Like blackmail, spying, corrupting witnesses and so on. However, no one has ever proved that, we have only assumptions and suspicions. Be careful with him. If you even mention his dishonest actions, he may feel insecure. Trapped."

"Maybe if we scare him, he'll finally make a mistake," suggested Lisbon, scanning Falton's file. "He blackmailed senator Thompson and was never charged for that?" she asked, surprised.

"Well, senator didn't press any charges. He didn't want the... subject of the blackmail to become public."

"Oh, I see." Lisbon smirked. "Looks like that Falton is really smart."

"That's why I want you to be careful. You'll be dealing with a potential killer. He's smart, and smart people become dangerous when they're scared."

It was very funny to watch Lisbon and Rigsby get embarrassed by their newly assigned task, but, on the other hand, Hightower was worried. Worried as hell.

"Everything will go smoothly. We're always very careful."

"Just don't do anything stupid, will you?"

"Sure thing, boss." Lisbon grinned, and Hightower suddenly regretted that she'd been spending so much time with Jane. Who knew what crazy idea she would come up with?

"Okay, now on to the job... Here are your IDs." She pushed two ID cards towards the agents. "You're Teresa West, married to a businessman John West, no children. Your husband wants a divorce. And you..." She turned to Rigsby. "Wayne Warner , her lover. Single, no family. The rest is up to you. Just don't get carried away, okay?"

"Of course." Lisbon took her ID and looked at the photo, lost in thoughts.

Her last undercover mission had been an epic fail. She'd met her high school friend - her first boyfriend actually - who'd been very excited about that.

"_Teresa! I can't believe! What are you doing here?"_

"_Um, sorry, pal, but you've mistaken me for somebody else. My name is not Teresa, it's Rose."_

"_Don't be silly, Tess! I haven't seen you in ages, but you don't change. Now, how are you doing? I've heard that you are a cop now. Is that true?"_

_Her suspect - a young drug dealer - looked nervous._

"_Geez, man. I told you, I'm not your goddamn Tess! Just keep walking, okay?"_

_The bloody idiot only laughed. "Hard as nails. Just like years ago. No, really, Teresa, what's up with you? And who's your charming friend?"_

_Lisbon's 'charming friend' stirred at his seat. "Erm, I think I'll be going..." He stood up._

"_No, please. Don't leave me with that lunatic," Lisbon pleaded, trying to grab the suspect's hand. But it was too late, he was already running away._

When Lisbon thought about it now, she felt like laughing, but back then she'd been just furious. Thankfully Cho had managed to catch the guy a few blocks away, but that bloody idiot could have ruined everything, months of their hard work. She'd yelled at him so loud that she hadn't been able to speak for the entire next week.

Oh yes, now it was just an anecdote, but Lisbon didn't want to relive it, so she was glad that Hightower let them use their own first names.

"What about the money?" she asked, going back to reality.

"The money?"

"I'm supposed to go to the most snobbish casino in Sacramento. If I have to invest my own money, well, it will be the shortest mission in the history of the CBI." From the corner of her eye she noticed Rigsby's hopeful look.

"Yes, right... I talked to director Bertram." Hightower opened one of the drawers in her desk, took out the check and handed it to Lisbon. "Here you are."

"Excuse me?" Lisbon's eyes widened in disbelief as she glanced at it. "Please tell me it's a joke. I can buy cotton pads for that, at the very best."  
>"You use very expensive cotton pads, then."<br>"No, seriously. This," she pointed at the check, "will cover only the tips. And these will be really poor ones."

Hightower sighed. "I can see that you're very well informed in those matters."

"Long story." Lisbon shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I will tell you one day."

Her boss hesitated for a moment, then took the check back. "Fine." She sighed heavily, but Lisbon could see a sparkle in her eye as she wrote one more zero at the end of the sum. "Bertram will kill me, and this will be your fault."

"Take is as an investment. I'm pretty good at poker." Lisbon flashed her most innocent smile. "Thank you, boss."

Hightower waved her hand. "Just don't let me down, or you'll soon have a new boss."

"I can assure you, this will never happen."

"I hope so. That's all, you can go and prepare."

The two agents stood up and left. When the door closed behind them, Rigsby glanced at Lisbon and the check in her hand. "Cotton pads, huh?"

She only smiled and shoved the check into her pocket.

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><p>"How do I look?" Lisbon nervously straightened her dress and turned to the team.<p>

Jane grinned. "Like a million dollars. I would fall for you in ten seconds," he said and watched her cheeks turn bright red. He loved making her embarrassed. And she indeed looked fantastic.

"Let's hope Falton will." She looked in the mirror and checked her hair. "What's the time?"

"Eight fifty. Falton usually turns up around ten. We've got plenty of time," Grace reassured her.

"I want to be there earlier, check the place and everything." She corrected her make-up for the thousandth time. "Something is wrong with that dress..." She touched the strap, but Van Pelt stopped her.

"It's just perfect, don't do anything."

For a few minutes the team just stood in the bullpen, watching Lisbon with astonishment. She looked gorgeous in the floor-length red dress with a deep neckline. Black stilettos and gold necklace added a subtle touch to her outfit.

"I think that Falton will be a finished idiot if he don't notice you, boss." Rigsby was the first to break the silence.

"Thank you. But please, don't call me boss, just Teresa, okay?" If he called her 'boss' in front of Falton, that would be a disaster.

"Okay, boss."

"Wayne, please..." Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right. Sorry, boss."

"Rigsby!"

"Don't call me Rigsby. It's Wayne, remember?" He grinned. "Relax, I'm just kidding."

The team laughed, but Lisbon was too nervous to find it funny. "Let's go, it's late," she commanded, took her purse and left without turning back.

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><p>"Falton hasn't come yet," reported Cho, who had been observing the casino for the past few hours.<p>

The team sat in the black van parked opposite the casino, checking all the details.

Cho turned to Lisbon. "Nice dress," he commented. His face, as always, didn't show any emotions, but his eyes gave him away.

"Thank you." Lisbon almost burst out laughing. Geez, it was just a dress. Not that she didn't like their comments...

"Check the microphone." Cho put the headphones on.

They hid the tiny microphone in Lisbon's necklace, so that the team could know what was going on in the casino. She didn't have the earpiece, though - she was afraid Falton would notice it.

"One, two, three... Do you hear me?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Okay, so I think I should go, check the place and everything. Call me when Falton comes."

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><p><em>It's not that bad<em>, thought Lisbon after thirty minutes of wandering around the casino, sipping drinks (non-alcoholic, of course) and exchanging smiles with strangers. _Let's just pretend it's an ordinary night out._

She sat at the bar and watched people playing roulette. An elderly woman had already won fifty thousand dollars and was still winning. Lisbon thought about Jane. Would he use his extraordinary abilities to win? She suddenly regretted that he wasn't with her.

Her mobile phone rang. Lisbon glanced at the caller's ID and smiled. "Hello, darling," she said and couldn't suppress a smile when she heard Rigsby's confused voice.

"Um, hey, boss... I mean... Teresa. I just... Well, Falton has just come. He's entering the casino at the moment."

"Oh, thank you, honey. You can tell the rest to go home now. I'm sure you'll do great on your own, you're a grown up boy." She heard Cho chuckle and Jane laugh out loud.

"O-okay," Rigsby stuttered. "I'll call you if anything happens."

"Fine." She smiled. "Wish me luck," she said, strolling towards the poker table, and hung up.

Two seats at the table were still free, the game hadn't started yet. Lisbon sat at the chair next to a tanned blonde woman, with her back to the door.

The croupier immediately rushed towards her. "I'm sorry, madam, but this seat is..."

"Oh no, it's fine," she heard a man's voice behind her and turned with a smile. _Bingo_, she thought. Brian Falton was standing right behind her. He sat on the free chair next to Lisbon.

"Did I take your seat?" she asked, trying to look more innocent than she actually was.

Falton waved his hand. "Oh, that's all right. It doesn't have my name on it, does it?"

Lisbon laughed. "Well, I don't know your name, so I can't tell for sure. I'm Teresa, Teresa West."

"Brian Falton." He sent her one of his most charming smiles and studied her face carefully. "I haven't seen you here before," he said eventually.

Before Lisbon could answer, the game started. "It's a long story." She smiled, taking her cards. "I live in San Francisco, came here only for a couple of days, just to have some fun."

Falton looked surprised. "Sacramento isn't a popular place to visit for fun. Why here, and not, for example, Malibu?"

"I told you it's a long story. More complicated than you think."

Falton sighed. "Every time I meet a beautiful woman she happens to have a long, complicated life history," he said half-jokingly.

Lisbon laughed. "You know what people say – lucky in cards, unlucky in love. One can't have everything."

Falton looked down at his cards and grinned. "It seems that your theory is right."

Two hours later, though, he had little money left. Lisbon, on the other hand, had already doubled the sum Hightower had given her and after two more rounds was announced the winner.

"_Every body loves the winner..._" she hummed, collecting her tokens.

"Congratulations." Falton smiled to her.

Lisbon smiled back. "Thank you."

"What was that?" asked Falton, leading her towards the bar. "I mean, the song?"

"It's '_Maybe This Time_' from _Cabaret_. But it's a bunch of crap, no one loves the winner. Everybody envies the winner. Apart from my husband, who hates me no matter if I win or lose."

"Well, I don't. May I buy you a drink?" he asked with a charming smile. He didn't seem to be surprised by her mentioning her husband.

"Oh, I don't know... Haven't you just lost all your money?" Lisbon teased.

"Don't worry about that, I'm prepared for such situations. I always have some money left to offer a drink to a stranger."

"I'm not a stranger, I'm Teresa, remember?" she joked. "That mysterious woman who appeared out of nowhere and stole your lucky seat, which led you to losing all your money."

"Oh, I don't know..." Falton pretended to be unconvinced. "Maybe if you tell me something about yourself... Like, I don't know, what do you do?"

Lisbon sipped her martini. She had the answer ready, but needed a few seconds to compose herself. "I'm a journalist." _On with the show_, she thought.

"Oh, really? I wonder if I've ever read any of your articles. Which magazine do you work for?"

"Well, I'm a freelancer. And I highly doubt if you've read my articles, unless you read magazines like _Your Style_ or _Catwalk_. I'm a fashion journalist," she explained.

Falton grinned. "Well, I don't, to be honest. But maybe I should start... What was your latest article about?"

"The latest one? It hasn't been published yet, but it's about the Miss United States contestants, their style, favourite clothes, shops and so on. But the journal that ordered it rejected it now."

"Really? Why?"

"The editor in chief said it's uninteresting and unoriginal."

"How dared she." Falton smiled.

"Actually. I understand her. I wouldn't publish it if I were her. These girls are so boring."

Falton sent her a surprised look. "Why? I'd never thought that."

"You haven't met them."

"Then maybe you can introduce me?" he asked with a sparkle in his eye.

"You would be disappointed, really." Lisbon laughed. She started to enjoy herself. "I've visited all of them, from Alaska to Hawaii and I can honestly tell you, there are only two groups of them."

"I see you can now write a dissertation about them. _The psychological profile of an average Miss United States_," he joked.

They burst out laughing. "It would be a short one. No, really." Lisbon wiped her eyes. "Half of them told me that they wear only European designer clothes, Chanel, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, because they thought it would sound cool and stylish. The rest, on the other hand, claimed they shop in second-hands or, even better, make their clothes on their own, because they thought it was nature-friendly."

"You were right, I don't want to meet them." Falton shook his head. "I can't believe they're all so boring."

Lisbon took another sip of her drink, scanning the man's face. He looked genuinely surprised and entertained by her stories. Either she was really convincing, or he was a good actor. For her own sake, Lisbon preferred the first option.

"No, actually, one of them was quite normal," she said, putting her glass down. She had just come up with another part of the story and really hoped Rigsby was recording her every word, because she was pretty sure she wouldn't remember any details the next morning.

"Only one? Which one?"

"Miss Illinois. She's a really nice girl. I stayed with her for the entire week, did shopping with her, went to night clubs and everything. She taught me how to walk in high heels." Lisbon laughed and looked at her stilettos. "You should see my first try, it was so hopeless."

"I admire women who can wear high heels and don't fall down every other step. That's unbelievable." Falton shook his head.

"It's not that hard, really. Practice makes perfect." She grinned. "You should try one day."

"Of course. But maybe not tonight. One more drink?" he offered.

Lisbon shook her head. "No, thank you. Maybe one more game, what do you say?"

"In case you haven't noticed, my dear mysterious woman, I've recently lost some money. I can afford a couple of drinks, but another game of poker? No way."

"Oh yes, I remember. You mean that money?" She playfully tossed a few tokens in her hands.

Falton returned her smile. "Exactly."

She sighed with a mocked disappointment. "Well then, I guess I'd settle for another martini."

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><p><strong>Okay, so what do you think? Chapter three should be up in, let's say, two or three weeks. I'm taking a few exams in the next two weeks, so please be patient. And pretty please, hit that little "Review" button! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh Gosh, I haven't updated this story for ages, really. But now my end-of-term exams are over and I have some free time, so here it is. Chapter number three, enjoy!**

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><p>"<em>Of course. But maybe not tonight. One more drink?"<em>

It was nearly midnight but Rigsby wasn't the least bit tired. He could hear his boss and Falton's every word, and although he couldn't see them, it was really interesting.

At first he was surprised how quickly Lisbon jumped in her role. In mere seconds she switched from the tough agent to the sociable, attractive woman who seemed to enjoy every minute of the evening. He shouldn't be surprised, actually - she was an excellent cop, experienced and talented. She was able to suit in almost every situation. But as he listened to her carefree discussion with Falton, he couldn't help wondering if it was just a game. Maybe it was the real Teresa Lisbon, her relaxed, playful side she was so unwilling to show in everyday life. She joked and laughed - a rare thing, he had to admit - and it all sounded so genuine and honest he couldn't help smiling.

"_No, thank you_," she answered to Falton's question. _"Maybe one more game, what do you say?"_ Her smile was almost audible.

Falton seemed to have as much fun as she did. After all, Teresa Lisbon could be a pleasant companion - that is, unless she was pointing a gun at you. _"In case you haven't noticed__, my dear mysterious woman, I've recently lost some money. I can afford a couple of drinks, but another game of poker? No way."_

"_Oh yes, I remember. You mean that money?"_ He heard the shuffling of tokens.

"_Exactly."_

"_Well, then I guess I'd settle for another martini."_

Rigsby heard her sigh and grinned. The fact that Lisbon had won meant they would continue the mission - he wasn't very happy about that, of course - but it also meant his boss had more talents than just shooting and pacifying Jane. He wondered how many aces she still had hidden in her sleeve.

The subject of the discussion had changed - they were now talking about Lisbon's husband. Or Mr. West, to be precise.

"_He is an idiot,"_ Lisbon was just saying. _"__He says I'm a gambler. An addict. Like a dru__g addict or even worse. That's why he wants a divorce. He says someone with his position can't be involved in any gambling scandal."_ She huffed, her voice thick with irony. _"Position! Maybe he's good at what he does, but for God's sake, he's not Barack Oba__ma. He and his_ _Asian way of thinking!"_

"_Asian? So he's not American?"_ Rigsby could hear the curiosity in Falton's voice. He was a professional, no doubt. He collected information in every situation, just in case. Unfortunately for him, he had already swallowed Lisbon's story hook, line and sinker.

Rigsby stretched on the driver's seat of the car, sipped his already cold coffee and kept listening to the crazy story Lisbon had spontaneously come up with.

* * *

><p>"He's Chinese. He moved to the States twelve or thirteen years ago, when his company decided to start a subsidiary here. He spoke fluent English and was an ambitious young businessman, so he was a great candidate for that job."<p>

"I see. Which company does he work for?"

"Oh, I can't tell you, it's still a secret. I can call him a jerk and hate him, but I have to admit, he's worked very hard to organise everything. It took him eight years to find suitable partners here and another four to prepare every detail. It would be childish to destroy it just because we don't get along any more, wouldn't it?"

"Honestly? Not really. And you're certainly not an addict."

"How do you know? You've known me for... two hours. I spent the past two months travelling across the States, without my husband checking me. How do you know I didn't play poker every night?"

"Did you?"

"Of course not."

"Then you're not addicted."

"You think it's that easy? He says I'm addicted, I lie to him about almost everything and - his biggest obsession - I have an affair."

"Do you?" asked Falton suddenly.

Lisbon's eyes narrowed with anger. "What kind of question is that?" she asked coldly, smile immediately disappearing from her face.

Falton shrugged his shoulders, as if it was perfectly normal. "A lawyer's one. In court you'll have to answer, you know."

"But it's not a court," she snapped. "You have no right-"

Falton cut her off. "I just want to help you. I am a lawyer. I've won hundreds of similar cases for my clients."

"You're very modest."

"It's true. You'll need professional help with that divorce. If your husband really is such a successful businessman, he probably hired the best lawyers."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "He even hired private investigators to spy on me. He's paranoid." Suddenly she stiffened. "Jesus. How stupid of me! You work for him too, aren't you?"

Her aggressive tone caught Falton off guard. "What are you talking about? I've never met your husband!"

"Oh, so it's just a coincidence?" she hissed, enjoying every minute of her performance. "I go to the casino, start talking to a random stranger about my divorce and – how fantastic! - he turns out to be a lawyer. Sounds suspicious, don't you think?"

"Teresa, I swear, I have nothing to do with your husband. To be precise, it was you who sat on my seat, remember? Maybe it's just your lucky day?" He offered her a small smile to ease the tension.

Lisbon hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It seems I'm even more paranoid than him."

"Apologies accepted. And I swear you can trust me."

"Thank you." She glanced at her watch. "Oh God, it's really late. I have to go."

She stood up, and Falton did the same thing. "I'll walk you to the taxi, if you don't mind."

"Of course not."

They left the building together. "Will you be here tomorrow?" he asked.

"Most probably. You promised to help me with my divorce, don't forget," she teased.

"I won't. But if you want me to help, you must be honest with me."

She didn't understand at first, but then he saw a flash of realization in her eyes. "Oh, that. Well, I do have a... friend. He lives here, in Sacramento."

"I see." Falton smirked. "That's why you chose Sacramento instead of Malibu?"

"Exactly." She hesitated for a second, and then said, "I can take him with me tomorrow, if you want."

"I can't wait to meet him," answered Falton with a smile.

Lisbon didn't have an earpiece, but was hundred percent sure that in that very moment Rigsby gave out a cry of protest. Or choked on his coffee. Again.

* * *

><p>The next morning Lisbon woke up in a great mood, in spite of the fact that her alarm clock went off at 5:45. The previous night had been surprisingly relaxing. She'd had to stay guarded, of course, but she started to enjoy her newly assigned task. Going out every night was a nice change in her daily routine and Lisbon decided she could as well have some fun. Besides, she was curious how Rigsby would cope with the situation.<p>

It didn't take a mentalist to guess that he wouldn't be very happy at first. The previous night she'd been so sure about taking him with her, but now she started to hesitate. When nervous, Rigsby tended to make mistakes. What if he blew their cover? Hightower would kill them both.

But there was no turning back and Lisbon could only hope that he would be professional.

Her cell phone buzzed on the night table. She reluctantly opened her eyes and glanced at the screen.

'_New message from: Madeleine Hightower'_

Lisbon frowned. Hightower? Her boss texting her at six in the morning could only mean trouble.

Lisbon read the message quickly.

'_I'm pretty sure you haven't slept much tonight. There's no need for you to come to work at 8, 10 will be just as fine. I only hope CBI isn't broke after your game. MH'_

Lisbon smiled. She could almost hear Hightower saying all that. The woman was incredible – even at six am her text messages were neat and grammatically correct, as if she was talking to the Queen.

She quickly replied, reset her alarm clock and went back to sleep. Two extra hours was just what she needed.

* * *

><p>When she finally appeared at work at 9:58, her team was already discussing the case.<p>

Jane flashed a smile towards her. "Ah, here's our femme fatale!" he exclaimed, and then added, "You're late."

"I'm not late, Hightower let me come later today. And good morning, Jane, nice to see you too."

"We're listening to yesterday's recording, would you like to join us?" Van Pelt reacted before Jane could say anything else.

"Sure. I don't remember half of the things I came up with."

Lisbon placed her bag on the chair and sat on the sofa next to Jane.

Van Pelt played the recording. After less than a minute Jane stood up and turned the speakers up. "That's my favourite part," he said, grinning.

"_May I buy you a drink?"_

"_Oh, I don't know... Haven't you just lost all your money?"_

"_Don't worry about that, I'm prepared for such situations. I always have some money left to offer a drink to a stranger."_

"_I'm not a stranger, I'm Teresa, remember? That mysterious woman who appeared out of nowhere and stole your lucky seat, which led you to losing all your money."_

Lisbon listened to her own voice, amused. It had been a long time since she'd spoken so casually, really enjoying herself. In that small talk, non-committal conversation about nothing, she heard the echo of a happy girl she had once been. Her life was anything but easy, and sometimes she just wanted to give up, but listening to that recording somehow made her feel better. Because now she knew that the ability to be happy was still in her, hidden deeply, waiting for the right moment.

"I never thought you could be such a temptress." Jane, as always, had an appropriate comment ready.

"Well, you shouldn't be surprised," she answered absent-mindedly. "You were the one that kept talking about seduction."

"I know, I know. It just doesn't suit your professional self." He eyed her from head to toe.

As usually, she was wearing a simple white top, a grey jacket and straight jeans. She, however, kept the black high heels from the previous night.

Jane raised his eyebrows. "Nice shoes," he commented. "I guess it's rather difficult to catch criminals in these."

"I'm not going to check it. Hightower wouldn't let me or Rigsby go into field during this case. No one should see us and connect us with the CBI."

"Sounds reasonable." Jane nodded. "You can finally wear those shoes to work." He winked.

"I'm not going to complain," Lisbon agreed. "Has Hightower already come? I think I should go talk to her."

"She's at the board meeting now," replied Cho. "But we talked to her earlier. She said she's pleased with you so far."

"She left something for you in your office," added Van Pelt. "Would you like some coffee, boss?"

"Yes, please. I desperately need caffeine." Lisbon took her bag and went to her office.

The first thing she saw was a white box sitting on her desk, with a yellow post-it note attached to it. Lisbon recognised Hightower's neat handwriting.

'_I've always wanted to buy it, and now I have the perfect excuse.'_

Lisbon smiled and opened the box, already guessing what was inside.

One glance confirmed that she was right. She instantly fell in love with a ravishing floor-length ivory dress, with deep neckline and long slit. The fabric was covered with sequins and as the light danced on them, it glittered beautifully with every movement.

Lisbon put it on a hanger and admired for a while. Okay, maybe that case wouldn't be that bad...

There was a soft knock at the door and Van Pelt entered, carefully holding a cup of steaming coffee. She handed it to Lisbon, and then raised her eyes. Only then she noticed the dress.

"Oh my God, boss! It's gorgeous!" She came closer and gently touched the elegant fabric. She sighed. "I wish I had got assigned to that task. It's so fantastically different from what we do every day."

"Yes, it is," Lisbon agreed. "But admit it - you'd like to have it just because Rigsby is in it, wouldn't you?"

Van Pelt blushed and Lisbon laughed.

"Not just because of that, but... it would be nice. You know... The only legal chance to spend some time together. Pretending that we're pretending, but still." Van Pelt looked back to the dress. "Try it on!" she suddenly pleaded childishly.

"Here? Now?" Lisbon looked confused.

"Not here, of course. In the restroom."

"You'll see me in that dress in the evening. Now we have to discuss the case, I have some ideas."

"Boss, please. It will take us maximum fifteen minutes!" Van Pelt's puppy eyes were hard to ignore.

Lisbon wondered where she'd learnt that trick. She should master it as well, it might come in handy in many situations.

She sighed. "Fine. Fifteen minutes, remember!" she said half-jokingly and grabbed the hanger. "Someone has to work here, and I don't really count on the men."

* * *

><p>Surprisingly, in the bullpen Cho, Rigsby and Jane were actually discussing the case. It was different from what they usually did, with almost no clues or information. All they had was a single folder from Harrison's team and Lisbon's impressions.<p>

Jane lay down on his sofa and smiled. He could tell Lisbon enjoyed her task, even though she'd been reluctant at first. He wished he could have seen her face when she'd heard about Hightower's idea.

"Jane? Jane!" Cho's irritated voice brought him back to reality.

"Sorry." He turned to face his colleagues. "Did you say something?"

"I've been 'saying something' for the past five minutes," Cho grumbled. "Your turn. What do you think about him?"

"He didn't kill Anderson."

"And you know that because..?"

"I just know. He's not the killing type. He could help with planning, maybe even hiding the body, but he would never pull the trigger. He asks a lot of questions. Collects information. He is an organized man, and such people don't commit murders. He would plan everything carefully, think every detail through, mull over every possibility. And then he would start contemplating the consequences. What if he got caught? There's always risk, and risk means the chance of failure. No, my dear Cho, murder is the domain of the spontaneous. Those who think too much would never take the risk."

Cho didn't seem to be the least bit impressed by Jane's theory. "Who did it then?"

"The wife. It's always the wife."

Rigsby shook his head. "Not in this case. She has a perfect alibi."

"Maybe not with her own hands. But still, she's the one responsible."

Cho didn't even blinked. "Lisbon will never buy it."

"Oh, don't worry. I will sell it. Besides, I'm pretty sure she will draw the same conclusion sooner or later." Jane sat up and glanced in the direction of Lisbon's office. The blinds were open. With surprise, he noticed that the two women disappeared. "Speaking of Lisbon, where is she?"

* * *

><p>"It's fabulous! You look absolutely stunning."<p>

Lisbon stood in front of the mirror, taking her reflection in. Van Pelt had already used seventy-three synonyms of the word 'beautiful' and was coming up with a new one every ten seconds, like a crazy hyper schoolgirl. Lisbon couldn't blame the younger agent, though. She wasn't as spontaneous as Van Pelt, but she felt exactly the same. The dress was indeed exceptional. It fitted her perfectly, as if it was made especially for her.

She smiled to her reflection. "What do you think, will Falton like it?" she asked with a playful smile.

"He will be speechless. Just don't let him fall in love," joked the younger agent. "On second thought, _do_ let him fall in love. It will be easier to get the confession from him."

"Do you like it?"

Lisbon spun and saw Hightower leaning against the door. "Do I like it? Boss, it's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen." She straightened the sparkling fabric. "It must have cost a small fortune."

"My treat." She smiled. "Or rather director Bertram's. Don't worry, yesterday you won enough to buy at least ten dresses."

"This one is more than enough. I absolutely love it!"

"I'm glad to hear that. So Rigsby is going with you tonight, isn't he?"

"Yes. I haven't talked to him yet, but I hope everything will go smoothly."

"I'm sure you'll do great. Just don't worry too much and it will be fine." Hightower sent her one last glance. "You look fantastic," she said with a smile and left.

* * *

><p><strong>The dress I had in mind while writing this chapter is an ivory Elie Saab from the Spring 2012 collection. I think I fell in love with it.<strong>

**Okay, I promise I'll update this story more frequently :) Please review if you liked it. If you didn't, review as well, let me know what you think!**


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